It's about freaking time

Konami will release a new North American DDR arcade game, titled Dance Dance Revolution Supernova.

It's the first major DDR arcade release since 2002's DDR Extreme, and only the second DDR arcade game made for U.S. players.

More details at www.ddrfreak.com. Looks like it'll be in a brand-new cabinet, and rumor has it that it'll emphasize U.S. exclusives that have appeared on home games.

I just hope the Extreme machines don't start disappearing. I'm not done with them yet.

Wow! I thought I'd never see another DDR machine from Konami, that's freaking awesome.

I guess I better get my arse on a machine again...

~Rob Willi

This is great news. I was really hoping for a new Japanese arcade mix because I always preferred the Dancemania songs which until recent US home releases, have really only been in the Japanese mixes.

I am so sick and tired of playing Extreme in the arcade though so any new mix is awesome. Every and I mean every DDR machine in my area is an Extreme (in the past year 1/2 I lost a 4th Mix +, 5th Mix, Max 2 to an Extreme). And Extreme has been out for over 3 years already and there hasn't been a new US DDR arcade mix in what, 5 or 6 years? (DDR USA).

I really want new songs (new to DDR) from Smile.dk, Captain Jack, Jenny Rom, E-Rotic, Bambee and all the other artists who had their music in earlier DDR games.

I've never really understood the company's reluctance to make more stuff for this market. With all of the "gray market" stuff that has floated into the country by way of Japan or wherever, there's clearly a market here.

I agree, and shutting down their US arcade division didn't really make sense.

I think it was a case of too much too early. I mean they released DDR USA in the arcades before DDR had a US home console release and the series didn't hhave a huge following outside of the west coast. Then they release Beatmania and Guitar Freaks in US arcades when most people are not familiar with either game (especially when they were released).

It's almost like Konami is stubborn about releasing new stuff in the US. Guitar Freaks never had a home release in the US, so Red Octane and Harmonix decide to release a very similar game here and it flies off the shelves and is still hard to find even after the holiday season.

I think Official Playstation Magazine put it best when writing a preview for Guitar Hero. They said at the end something along the lines of: Memo to Konami: you snooze you loose.

At least they finally are starting to realize it with Beatmania coming out for Playstation 2 in the US in March.

Heres a picture of the header.
http://www.ddrfreak.com/images/ddrsupernova.jpg

There is market alright. My Daughter has already burned through 3 dance pads and she has friends that have wasted 5 or more.

Question is, would your daughter and her friends go to the arcade?

In my high school youth group at church, I know of at least four teenage girls and at least two fellow sponsors (my age) who have purchased pads/PS2s/DDR games after I introduced it to them. But none of them ever play in the arcade nor do they want to. One of the sponsors is really into ITG and has lost 30 pounds playing it, but she's too embarrassed to play at the arcade.

I rarely play in the acrade myself. Being an old fart and unable to master anything above a 6 footer, I always feel the smirks and snears of the youngsters waiting to play after me. I don't need that, considering I play mostly just for fun and exercise...not to impress anyone.

I am back on the pads after a long break caused by my son moving into an apartment on campus and taking the PS2 and DDR with him. I've now got my own PS2 (the really tiny one!) , DDRMax and DDRMax2, and some new pads for Christmas. Only problem is now I have to unlock the extra songs all by my lonesome.

My son laughed when I said I needed him to come home for a weekend to take care of the really tough songs for me and told me to just consider it "motivation" to improve.

I can't do a ton of songs over 6 and 7 footers either, but I do play in the arcade from time to time. Kids are amazed that someone out of high school can even play. :)

Really? From my experience, most kids (i.e. college and below) who play DDR even semi-regularly are rarely impressed by any sort of accomplishments. Usually, it's only the slack-jawed yokels who came into the city for the day who are impressed by anything I can do.

Story: Once I was playing DDR with this guy, and he picked "Can't Stop Fallin' in Love Speed Mix," which is a pretty tough song for a lot of people. I ended up with a full combo AA, around 50 greats. I heard people clapping and cheering, so I turned around to acknowledge my fans... then noticed the other guy had gotten a AAA (all perfects). No one had even been watching me, LOL.

The only kids who seem to be amazed at me are the ones I've met through these forums who are also amazed I can outlast them at CB events.

Nap?? I don't need no friggin' naps.

I need to sponsor a 30-and-over DDR tourney. Quickly, before all the real players get old.

My teenage daughter is amazed that I even play. I thought she was going to feint the other day, however, when we went to an arcade, and my Mom actually agreed to give it a try. I dont think she thought that Grandma would do it in a million years.

Every weekend that she stays at my house she is playing my DDR Ultramix and Ultramix2 on my XBox.

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Den said:
Really? From my experience, most kids (i.e. college and below) who play DDR even semi-regularly are rarely impressed by any sort of accomplishments.

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I mostly play in the arcades on a boardwalk (Ocean City, NJ) and it seems to have the opposite reaction there where people are impressed with the new players. When I play in the arcade, I usually play on standard or heavy (I can clear 9 footers at home no problem but in the arcade I seem to get tired faster, couldn't even pass Breakdown on Heavy).

I could be playing a 7 footer and no one is watching, then all of the sudden some kid goes up and plays La Copa De Vida 3 times in a row on beginner and all of the sudden they get a crowd (largest crowd I have seen is about 30 people on a weekend night in the summer). For some reason someone getting a D on a beginner song is more impressive to them than an A or AA on a more difficult song. *** Edited 1/21/2006 2:22:57 AM UTC by YoshiFan***

Hey this is great news, I can't wait to try out the new cabinet! /generic comment

Speaking of the *ahem* more age experienced DDR players, I found it quite hilarious one time at the mall arcade, right around 5-6pm, these two gentlemen wearing nice, pressed shirts with nice and neat ties put tokens into the DDR machine and play two rounds or so. Look out for these guys at your 30+ competition, Den ;)

"Damn TPS reports..."
"Yeah I know... Wanna go play DDR?"